INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN ALLEGATIONS
RELATED TO VOTING ON THE MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, IMPROVEMENT,
AND MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2003

On March 17, 2004, the Committee adopted a resolution which
established an Investigative Subcommittee to investigate alleged
communications received by Representative Nick Smith linking
support for the congressional candidacy of his son with Representative
Smiths vote on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement,
and Modernization Act of 2003. Representative Kenny C. Hulshof
served as Chairman of the Investigative Subcommittee, and Representative
Michael F. Doyle served as the Ranking Minority Member. Representative
John B. Shadegg and Representative William D. Delahunt were the
other two Members of the Investigative Subcommittee.

By unanimous vote on September 30, 2004, the Committee on
Standards of Official Conduct approved and adopted the Report
of the Investigative Subcommittee in the above-referenced matter.

The Investigative Subcommittee had broad authority to investigate
this matter, as set forth in the resolution adopted by the Committee.
The evidence obtained by the Investigative Subcommittee in the
course of carrying out its responsibilities included the sworn
testimony of 17 Members of the House (including Speaker J. Dennis
Hastert, Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and Representative Nick Smith),
and interviews and sworn testimony obtained from 12 other witnesses.
In total, approximately 1400 pages of transcribed sworn testimony
and witness statements resulted from proceedings before the Investigative
Subcommittee or interviews with its counsel. In addition, approximately
two thousand pages of documents were supplied to the Investigative
Subcommittee in response to subpoenas for documents and records.

The Report contains the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
of the Investigative Subcommittee in this matter, which have
been approved and adopted by the Committee. The Committees
Report is currently available on the Committees web site
at www.house.gov/ethics. Limited print copies of the Committees
Report, and a CDROM version of the Report have been made
available to the House press galleries. Bound copies of the Committees
Report are expected to be available soon.

Who Tried to Bribe
Rep. Smith?Winning-at-any-cost as a
policy may cost Republicans
too much. Think jail terms
for bribery and extortion
in the battle to get the Medicare Bill Passed.

Conservative
Republicans RebelledAcritical review
of the tactics
Repugs resorted to in order to
get the Medicare Bill passed
in the House. This time the
"enemy" targeted was other
Republicans. Get an insiders
picture of what happened
during the long hours of
"hazing," pressure and
"ugly stuff."